Apparatus for conditioning pottery molds



A 1947. w. .1. MILLER 2,426,513

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING POTTERY MOLDS Original Filed Jan. 8. 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet l [NVENIUH W'Zlz'am J M71912 Au 25, 1947. w. J. h MLLEIR APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING POTTERY MOLDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR. M'llz'wm J j /ZZZZ P.

Original Filed Jan. 8, 1943 AT} NEY.

' Aug. 26, 1947; w, LLE 2,426,518

' APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING POTTERY HOLDS originalFilgd Jan. 8, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ell INVEN;'OR.

Fi i/[farm J fizz/91 Aug.26, 1947. -w,' M 2,426,518

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONiiNG POTTERY MOLDS Original FiledJan. 8, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I26 7%3 INVEN-TOR.

William IA/filer? W ATTaRNFIY.

Patented Aug. 26, 1947' APPARATUS FOR ({JNDITIONING POTTERY OLDS ; William J. Miller, Swissvale, Pa., assignor to Miller Pottery Engineering Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania OriginalappIication January 8, 1943, Serial No. 471,704. Divided and this applicationAugust 29, 1944, Serial No. 551,671.

' 24 Claims. (Cl; 25-1) This is a divisional of rrijeo-pending application S. N. 471,704, filed January 8, 1943.

This invention relates to methods and app ra tus for conditioning pottery molds. It has to do particularly with the manufacture of ware such as somewhat as shown in the application to William jiggered dinnerware; 'for instance, plates, cups and saucers, bowls' and the like. The mass production of pottery ware by automatic machine and processes has involved a certain amount of manual intervention, particularly in'the treatment and, preparation of raw mate rials and in certain phases of clay, ware and mold transportation, manipulation and processing- One of the objects of this invention is to place the manufacture of pottery ware on as near a fully automatic basis as possible-all the way from the raw material stage .to that of dried. product ready for first firing. By substantially eliminating the human element in thisrespect, it is possible to remove handicaps which have heretofore interfered with the continuity, quality and rate of production.

Another and perhaps more important object of this invention is to provide for making simultanepottery ware some of which are conventional steps or operations and others of which afford new and improved ways and means of making pottery ware of this class.

The machinery of the present invention is so constructed and arranged that different sequences of operations may be performed at the same time and variations in the sequences and pro-,

cedural steps may be made at will and in some cases whilethe machinery is in operation. Thus,

J. Miller, Serial No. 413,734, filed October 6, 1941. That is to say, from the beginning of fabricating operations to the point when the ware is removed from the dryer and therebeyond, the materials will move in continuous fashion whilst the various fabricating operations are performed. This makes for increased production speeds and raises thecapacity of the machinery. Furthermore, clay is supplied to the fabricating portion of the present mechanical organization by a system and apparatus disclosed in application Serial No. 454,716, filed August 13, 1942 to William J. Miller.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 taken together to match end to end in their order lengthwisefrom left to right constitute a diagrammatic view in plan of the entire Ware production system of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a rotary type mold conditioning machine of the system, a similar type of which is also employed to condition the ware during fabrication.

Fig. 4a is adetail showing a contact type mold I oiler for use with the machine of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a plan section of the conditioning machine as taken substantially on the section line 5- -5 of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan section taken on the section line 6-8 of Fig. 4.

As illustrated diagrammatically in-Figures 1 to in a substantially. horizontal plane while travelinsofar as production diversification is concerned, I

it may be varied from one which is highly diversified to one wherein substantially little or no diversification occurs. Thus, I provide in a single unitary installation the means of meeting the' daily requirements of the average pottery whether it be for large or small amounts of pottery of given shape or designa nd it is well known that these requirements may vary widely, particularly if the pottery merchandises a large number of shapes ling continuously in a tortuou path about idler sprockets and rotary machines of the system by having outboard supporting rollers 54 riding on rails 55 (see Figures4 and 5).

The molds for forming four types of were are carried in the rings 52 in duplicate successive sets which, in the'course of the conveyor, are brought into 'co-operative relation with a series of rotary machines 60, 6'1, 62, 63 and 64 designed to respectively condition the molds, treat molds for a certain method of ware decoration, treat molds for anothermethod of ware decoration, further condition the treated molds and treat molds for engobing certain ware. These machines are selectively, used. I

The molds then continue to a series of rotary machines 65, 66 and 61 designed to selectively feedclay charges of similar or of different composition or conditioned clay bodies to the molds and puddle and partially form the charges correlatively with respect, to the ware forming surfaces of the molds prior to feeding. The charge feeding machines may be supplied from an enclosed clay preparation organization R designed to simultaneously and continuously prepare the various clay bodies desired from the various plastie and non-plastic materials required and selectively feed same to the machines.

After receiving the charges, the molds continue to a series of rotary machines II to 03, inclusive, designed to selectively perform various forming, conditioning and decorating operations to produce the ware as more fully in the parent application.

The molds then pas through a drier 95 for an optimum period to dry to leather hardness certain ware to be appendaged, such as cups or the like, which are then conveyed out, of the drier tioning machine I designed to remove any foreign matter from the molds, and then continue to another conditioning machine I0'I employed to apply to all the molds, or only those which have just been placed on the conveyor, a conditioning medium, such as oil. The molds then pass through a conditioning zone I08 comprising a tunnel within which the air is suitably. heated or otherwise conditioned to dry or otherwise put the molds in a proper condition as they return at a take-off station E to a rotary machine 96 m which transfers same from an upright position in the molds to an inverted position in co-operative relation with an appendaging machine 91, the transfer machine also being designed to fettle and smooth the ware prior to being transferred. M

tion, respectively with rotary machines 98 and 99 designed to transfer other types of ware, each requiring a diiferent drying period, to suitable conveying apparatus I00 and IOI arranged to convey the ware to suitable locations for further treatment. fettle, smooth and reverse or reposition the ware incident to transferring same, if desired.

Upon leaving the drier, the molds are advanced to a rotary machine I02 employed to lay to the molds or reform thereon partly dried ware that may have become slightly distorted during drying and being especially of use as located, in an installation or an adaptation of the system wherein no type of ware is completely dried in the dryer. However, if the system is adjusted so that the ware leaving .the dryer is too dry for the reforming operation, said machine I02 or number of same may be disposed along the conveyor course adjacent one or each of the take off or transfer stations E, G, and F.

From the reforming machine I02, the molds continue to another rotary transfer machine I03 co-operating with a conveying system I030, to transfer the various types of ware that may remain on the conveyor to any one or a number of selected locations for further treatment, the machine being designed to fettle and smooth the ware and reverse the position thereof if desired.

Upon leaving the transfer machine I03, the empty molds are advanced to a rotary machine I 04 co-operating with a conveying system I0la to remove any one or all the molds of each set and transfer same to a suitable location for storage when changing the system over to the production of a different type or types of ware, or when damaged or worn molds require replacement for repair.

The next machine I05 along the course of the conveyor is also of the rotary type designed to co-operate with a conveying system I05a for transferring molds for a certain type or types of ware from one or more storage locations and placing same in the emptied mold carriers in any desired order.

The molds then continue to a rotary condi- Thesemachines are also designed to 35 to complete another cycle of operation.

Generally, the machines are of the rotary table type, about the tables of which the conveyor meshes to remain in cooperative relation with each machine during a suflicient portion of its rotation to perform the variousoperations on the molds or ware.

As seen in Figs. 2fand 3, a power unit I09, such as a combination motor and adjustable speed reducer is employed to constantly drive the machines and mold conveyor in synchronism, through a power shaft W911 and suitable gearing I09b co-operating between same and the rotary machines I3, BI and 93 which thus serve as driving connections for the conveyor at spaced intervals therealong and whereby the conveyor in turn serves as a driven connection for the rotary machines with which it meshes between said intervals. It is also contemplated that the conveyor and anynumber or all of the said rotary machines and'idlers defining its course may be independently or collectively driven in timed relation.

Conditioning of the mold and clay surfaces may,

require the application thereto under pressure, or otherwise, of heated air, certain gases, oil, or other fluid conditioning media to clean or otherwise improve the efliciency thereof. Accordingly, the conditioning machine (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) comprises a base IIO of a pedestal I II supporting the lower end of a central hollow stationary shaft I I2 on which rotates a turret or table H3. The table is constantly rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by the mold conveyor 5|, 'by having four pockets I I4 spaced about the periphery thereof and grooves H5 therebetween to receive the mold carriers and cable sections of the conveyor as it meshes therewith to an optimum degree therearound. I

As the bowl, cup, saucer and plate molds II6, II 1, H8 and IIS, placed in predetermined order in successive carriers of the conveyors, are carried about the table, each is elevated to a predetermined extent and rotated by a chuck I20 under the path of a. laterally oscillating nozzle I2I which is adjusted to jet or spray the desired amount of conditioning medium over a predetermined portion or all of the wareformin mold surface.

The mold chucks I20 are mounted on the top ends of vertical piston rods I22 of piston'and cylinder type fluid pressure motors I23 secured to a table I24 arranged under and connected with the-table H3. Each piston rod has a vacuum duct I25 opening into the chuck and connected with a vacuum line I26 in the shaft II2 through a distributor I21 and hose I28 to vacuumize the chuck cavity at the proper time to secure the mold to the chuck while rotating same. For rotating each chuck, its piston rod extends through and is in sliding key connection with the hollow shaft I29 of an electric motor I30 energized at the proper time from any suitable source of current through a combination distributor and switch I3I on the central shaft H2. Each fluid motor is energized at the proper time from a fluid pressure line I32 through a distributor I33 and a four-way valve I34 operated by adjustable arms I35 on the central shaft H2 and connected with both ends of the motor cylinder by valved conduits I36 to regulate the speed of travel and extent of up-dwell of the chuck.

Each nozzle I2I is mounted forvertical adjustment, to accommodate various heights of molds and approach to molding surfaces, upon I a depending hollow stem I38 at the end of a horizontally disposed. hollow arm structure I38 having an upright trunnion I40 supported in a bearing I M of a spider I42 mounted on uprights of the table H3;

rollers I45 on arm extensions I46 of the arms and a' spring I41 for maintaining the arms in contact with'the cam. Each arm structure comprises inner and outer pipe-like sections I39a and I39b held in telescoped connection by a set screw I390 whereby the structure may be lengthwise adjustable to position the nozzle so that it will spray a predeterminedportiori .Of the mold across or away from the axisthereof as it.oscillates thereover. i

- The mold oiler of conditioning machine by stem I60d. casting having a porous cushion insert I60h which is fed through holes I60g with oil from an overhead cavity I60 .Oilis fed into the cavity from a tank- [60a through hose I60b, a valve. I600 being provided to regulate the flow. When the mold is pushed against the porous cushion,

the oil is squeezed out of thecushion and applied evenly to the surface of themold; ;Being resilient, the cushion conformsHtoJtheT-surface contour of. the mold. The tank may, be disposed on the axis of rotation-of. the conditioning machine to supply several oilers or each oiler may chine'isprovided with automatic valves which may, if desired, be connected to pipe H501) to valve only a. given quantity of oil into reservoir I60) to thereby maintain a substantially constant static The arm structures are oscillated during each cycle of rotation of the table .by a cam I44 on the shaft II2 co-operating with l igure ld is attached to the I60e is a' for movement-therewith, means for causing the clay particles, dust, dirt, etc., removed from the molds during the conditioning operation, an exhaust hood I60 is mounted on each nozzle for vertical adjustment and connected with an exhaust pump I6l through a flexible conduit I62, a distributor I63 and a conduit I64. Shut off valvesare designated by numerals I25.

Having thusv described my invention, what I claim is:

,1. The combination with a mold conveying 1' a means having continuous motion in a mold condi tioning zone of a mold conditioner thereabove to] be driven therewith, and automatically operable means for causing said conditioner to perform-a conditioning operation on a mold disposed therebelow whilst the conveying means and conditioner are in continuous motion. v I

2. The combination with mold conveying means having continuous motionof a, mold con-.

ditioner to be driven therewith having a fluidnozzle thereabove mounted for continuous. movement, a source of supply of conditioning medium,

means for conducting conditioning medium. from the source of supply to the nozzle, and means for Y cooperating the molds and nozzle whilst the conveying means and nozzle are continuously moving to perform a mold conditioning operation.

3. The combination with a conveying means for molds or ware having continuous motion in a. conditioning zone of a conditioner to be driven therewith having an applicator for applying a conditioning medium to molds or ware mounted applicator to perform a conditioning operation whilst the conveying means and applicator are in continuous motion, and flow control mechanism head- By valving greater or less quantitiesiof oil each cycle the flow may be varied by varying the static head. The valving operation would, of course,.be automatic and performed while the oiling head revolved with'the mold about the axis of the turntable.

Each nozzle may be supplied with the same or a different conditioning medium, as required, from four different sources of supply of various media under pressure by way of mains I48, I49, I50 and I5I. To this end, each main has valved branches I52 leading, respectively, to headers I53 of four conduits I54, each of which is connected with a nozzle by way of a distributor I55, a flexible' conduit I56, a swivel coupling I 51 on the trunnion of each arm and a passage I58 in the trunnion communicating with'the nozzle through the arm sections I39a, I39b and stem I38.

For salvaging the excess conditioning media, and/or to dispose of the foreignmatter, such as for governing the discharge of conditioning medium. ,7

4. The combination with amold conveyor, a mold conditioner having a turntable to be driven with the conveyor, means for imparting continuone motion to said conveyor, and means forcausing said conditioner to effect a moldconditioning, operation whilstsaid turntable, conditioner andconveyor are in continuousmotion. 5. The combination with a mold-conveying means having continuous motion of a' turntable having continuous motion to be driven therewith, mold conditioning means associated with said turntable to rotate therewith and perfonn'coiidi tioning operations on molds disposed therebelow, means for rotating said turntable and. movingsaid conveyor, mold liftersdisposed below said Q mold conditioning means, and means operableto 1 cause said mold lifters to raise and lower and. said conditioner to perform'mold conditioning opera-J tions whilst said conveying means, turntable and 5 conditioning means are in continuous motion.

6. The combination with mold 'conveying.

means having continuous motion of an oscillatable fluid nozzle thereabove mounted for continuous movement to be driven therewith, asource of supply of conditioning medium, means for conducting conditioning medium from the source of supply to the nozzle, means for cooperating the molds and nozzle, whilst the conveyingmeans and nozzle are continuously moving to perform a mold conditioning operation, a vacuumi zer op-' means for oscillating the nozzle during the conditioning operation.

7. The combination with a continuous motion mold conveying means of a mold oiler thereabove.

to be driven therewith, and means for relatively moving said mold oiler and a mold disposed therebelow to perform a, mold oiling operation whilst saidconveying means is in motion.

8. The combination with a continuous motion mold conveyor of a rotatable table to be driven therewith, means for continuously driving said conveyor, a mold oiler mounted for movement with said table, a source of oil supply; means for conducting oil from said source of supply to said oiler a vacuum chuck below said oiler for rais-.

ing molds into cooperation therewith, means operable whilst said table and conveyor are in continuous motion for raising said chuck to effect a mold oiling, operation and flow-control mech anism for regulating the amount of oil fed to said oiler from the source of supply; 9. In apparatus for cleaning pottery molds, the combination with a continuous motion mold conveyor of an air jet thereabove mounted for continuous movement therewith, a source of compressed air, means for moving said jet and said conveyor continuously and means operable to valve compressed air through the jet to clean the surface of a mold disposed therebelow whilst the conveyor and jet are in continuous motion.

10. Apparatus for conditioning 'igger molds including a horizontal support provided with spaced recesses therethrough for receiving mold supports, means for continuously rotating said support,

means above and in register with said recesses and continuously rotatable therewith for discharging conditioning medium onto said molds, a plurality of mold carrying members and an endless, continuously traveling conveyor to which said members are attached for carrying said members horizontally into interfitting relation with said recesses, whereby successive molds are indexed with successive conditioning means to receive conditioning material therefrom.

11. Apparatus for conditioning jigger molds comprising a horizontal support provided with spaced recesses therethrough for receiving mold supports, means for rotating said support, means movable with and mounted above and in register with said recesses for discharging conditioning material onto said molds, a plurality of mold carrying members, and means for moving said members horizontally into registering relation with said recesses, whereby successive molds are indexed with successive conditioning means to receive conditioning material therefrom.

12. Apparatus for conditioning jigger molds comprising a horizontal support provided with spaced recesses therethrough for receiving mold supports, means for rotating said support, means for discharging conditioning medium onto thesurface of the molds arranged for movement with and mounted above and in register with said recesses, a plurality of mold carrying members,-

means for moving said members horizontally into seated relation with said recesses to be angularly moved therewith about the axis of the horizontal support and means operable to cause said conditioning means to deliver conditioning material to molds when said'mold carrying members are in arranged relation with said recesses.

13. Apparatus for conditioning jigger molds comprising an angularly movable support provided with spaced recesses for receiving mold supports, means movable 'with said support and mounted above and in register with said recesses for discharging conditioning material onto molds therebelow, an endless conveyor having mold supports attached thereto to be received in said recesses, means for continuously moving said supterial onto the surface of the molds when the conditioning means is in register therewith to effect the discharge of conditioning material when the conditioning means is out of register with a mold.

' 14. Apparatus for conditioning jigger molds comprising a rotatable, horizontal support provided with spaced circumferential recesses for carrying mold carriers through a conditioning zone, means in saidzone for discharging conditioning material onto molds mounted above and in register with each recess, and an endless mold conveyor having mold carrying members attached thereto formed to interfit with said recesses for delivering molds to said support and carrying them away.

15. Apparatus for conditioning jigger molds comprising a rotatable, horizontal support provided with circumferential recesses for carrying molds through a conditioning zone, oscillatable means in said zone for discharging conditioning material onto molds mounted above and in register with each recess, an endless mold conveyor having mold carrying members attached thereto formed to interfit said recesses for delivering molds to said horizontal support and carrying them away and means for oscillating said conditioning means when in register with a mold therebelow.

16. Apparatus for cleaning the'upper surface of pottery jigger molds whilst moving continuously in a production line which comprises, an angularly movable support having a plurality of seats for carrying mold supports through a cleaning zone, means in said zone for discharging fluid against the surface of the molds to be cleaned, mounted above and in register with said seats, an endless mold conveying means having mold carrying members attached thereto formed to deliver molds to said seats and carry them away and means for continuously moving said endless mold conveying means.

17. Apparatus for oiling pottery jiggered molds whilst continuously moving which comprises, an angularly movable support provided with seats for carrying mold supports through an oiling zone, means in said zone for discharging oil onto the surface of the molds to be oiled, mounted above and in register with each seat, an endless mold conveying means having mold carrying members attached thereto formed to deliver molds in said seats and means for continuously moving said endless mold conveying means.

18. An organized machine for cleaning the upper surface of a pottery jigger mold of extraneous material comprising, in combination, a frame, an angularly movable support thereon having seats, a discharge nozzle arranged above and in register with said seats, means for continuously rotating said support and said discharge nozzles and fiow control mechanism operable to cause the discharge of fluid against the surface of molds therebelow in said seats.

19. An organized machine for oiling pottery jigger molds comprising, in combination, a' frame, an angularly movable support having seats for receiving molds, a, discharge nozzle arranged above each seat and angularly movable therewith, a source of oil supply, means for conducting oil from the source of supply to the nozzle, means for angularly moving said support and nozzle and means operable to cause the discharge 9 of oil through said nozzle against the surface of molds therebelow in said seats.

20. An organized machine for oiling pottery jigger mOlds comprising, in combination, a frame having an angularlymovable support thereon provided with a plurality of seats for carrying molds, an oil applying member above each seat and angularly movable therewith, a source of oil supply, means for continuously moving said support and oil applying means and means for con trolling the quantity of oil delivered to said applying means from said sources of supply 21. Apparatus for conditioning pottery molds prior to refilling which comprises a rotatable table having peripheral recesses for receiving mold carriers, a nozzle thereabove, a support for said nozzle arranged to carry the nozzle in a circular path into and out of register with molds therebelow, a stationary track extending part way around the table and an endless conveyor having mold carriers formed for'interfltting with said recessesand to move over the endless track into and out of seated relation with said recesses. I

22. Mol'd conditioning apparatus comprising, a

a stationary track having a portion spaced from and curved part way around said mold support and an endless conveyor having mold carrying members formed to interfit with said recesses and to be rollably supported on the stationarytrack. v

i 23. Apparatus for conditioning molds comprising a. turntable having peripheral recesses therein f or receiving mold carriers, a mold register below each recess and rotatable with the support.-

means for raising and lowering the mold registers during movement of the support, a nozzle for applying conditioning medium to molds, a support for carrying said nozzle in a circular path concentric to the axis ofrotation'of the table into and out of register with molds therebelow, a track upon which mold carriers are carried to and around the table and an endless mold conveyor having mold carrying members to be rollably moved over said track that are formed to interfit with the recesses of the table.

24. Mold conditioning apparatuscomprising a turntable having peripheral recesses for receiving mold carriers, a nozzle for discharging treating medium onto molds therebelow, a support for said nozzle for carrying it in a circular path into and out of register with molds therebelow,

a flow control valve for regulating the flow of treating medium through the nozzle, a cam for actuating said valve, a track over which mold carriers travel to the turntables, and an endless conveyor having mold carrying members formed to interflt with the recesses in the rotatable table.

WILLIAM J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

